Postal box and signal.



No. 707,!96. Patented Aug. I9, 1902.

. F. c. BATES. i

POSTAL BOX AND SIGNAL.

' (Application filed Mar. 31, 1902.)

9 U .5 QEVEIAHL UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS C. BATES, OF SANJOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORTO BATES-HAWLEY OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, A CORPO- POSTAL BOX SIGNALS COMPANY, RATION on CALIFORNIA.

POSTAL BOX AND -SIG NAL- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,196, dated August 19,1902.

Application filed March 31 1902. fierial No. 100,706. (No model.)

citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, county of Santa Clara, State of Cali fornia, have invented an Improvement in Postal Boxes and Signals; and I hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in lo postal boxes and ahsignaly device attached thereto and operatedby opening the box to receive or remove its contents, so as to expose the signal and indicate to the properperson that there is something in the box for removal and to drop the signal after the con-- tents have been removed.

It consists of a box suitably constructed to resist the entrance of wet from storms, hav ing admission and discharge doors so locatedv that the largest packages may be introduced. or removed and the interior of the box fully exposed to inspection In conjunction with the admission-door is a hinged or pivoted safety-plate connected 2 5 and movable with said door, so that when'the door is opened the mail-matter or package is received on this plate and is discharged there by into the lower part of the box whenthe. admission-door closes, this plate acting at o thesame time as a guard to prevent any tampering with the contents of the box. In conjunction with these devices I have shown a signal mounted upon an arm or standard and a means actuated by the opening of the admission-door whereby the signal is exposed, said signal being released and allowed to drop out of sight whenever the dischargedoor is opened for the removal of the contents of the box.

My invention also comprises details of construction which will be more fully explained byv reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a perspective view of. my in- 4 5 vention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 00 0c of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line i y, Fig. It is the object of my invention to provide a mail receiving and delivery box which may be used for the town or country.

other suitable material with sufficiently strong internal frames to prevent its being easily damaged. l

The ends of the box are preferably set in a little, so as to leave the arched top and sides projecting slightly, and the ends are riveted into the band which forms the exterior shape of the box ends. "The arched-top is in the same manner riveted to these ends and to the horizontal bars-of the frame, forming the upper portion of the'frame. I The sides and bottom in the same manner are riveted to the internal frame. 'Any suitable mechanical construction of these parts will be understood without further description.

The box is designed to receive the largest packages which are liable to be ordinarily distributed by the mail, such packages being well represented by the Sunday editions of the large papers, andfor this purpose the interior length of the box isslightly greater than thelength of the paper when folded in its wrapper for delivery.

2 isa door, the lower edge of which is pivoted or hinged at each end to the longitudinal frame-bar 3, and the upper edge is closable against the'longitudinalframe-bar 4 at the top of the box. This door is normally closed from the inside by coiled springs 6,1mounted upon studs 7 at either end of the 'box and having projecting ends 8, one of which ends of each spring bears against the interior of the door and the other extending downwardly against the interior of the vertical framepieces at the ends of the box, so that when the door is pushed inwardly the springs coil turn the door to its position whenit is released. Beneath this door and occupying the lower half of .the box side of the box is a second such a manner that when opened it leaves the edge of the door andopen for inspection, so that nothing will be overlooked. This door 9, hinged to'the bottom ofQth'e box in' the entire floor of thebox-above the level of The box A may be made of sheet-steel or upon the studs andby their elasticity act to re- 1 first door serves for the introduction of mailmatter and the lower door for its removal. The lower door when closed is secured by any suitable spring-lock and can only be opened by a person having the proper key.

Approximately in line horizontally at the rear of the hinges of the upper door 2 and about intermediate of the distance from the front to the rearof the box is pivoted a plate 10, the pivot-bar extending through its lower edge and being turnable in the ends of the box. The upper edge of this plate is connected by rods ll with the upper edge of the door 2, and the length of the rods is such that when the door is closed the plate 10 stands at such an inclination greater than forty-five degrees that anything deposited upon the plate will slide ofi toward the front and drop into the bottom of the box.

When the door 2 is pushed back to open it, the plate 10 is in the same manner pushed back, by reason of the connectinglinks 11, and thus forms a tem porary table, upon which the mail-matter is deposited behind the edge of the open door 2, and when this door is released and closes the plate 10 will be tilted up into its normal position, and, as before stated, anything deposited upon it will slide into the bottom of the box. This plate also serves as a guard when the door is opened to prevent any access to the lowerpart of the box, it being thrown into an approximately horizontal position and forming a partition approximately continuous with the opened door. The hinge-rod of the lower edge of the plate may pass through a tubular portion made by turning this edge of the plate 10 downwardly, so as to receive the rod, and the links 11 may be connected with a rod extending through a similar downward and backwardly turned portion of the upper edge of the plate through which the rod is passed. Eyes may be formed by bending the ends of the rod and the link rods 11, connected with it, or any other suitable or equivalent connection may be made, the object in any case being to cause the plate to tilt in unison with the movements of the door 2.

In order to indicate that mail-matter is in the box, either for the people for whom it is designated or for the carrier, a signal is employed. This signal may consist of a colored disk, flag, or other signal 12, preferably made of metal and fixed to the upper end of a rod 13. This rod extends down outside the box to a point about opposite the center, is there bent at right angles, passes through a hole in the inner side of the box, and in the interior of the box is again bent at right angles so as to extend downwardly from its journal-point and approximately parallel with the outside portion.

The part which serves as the journal about which the rod is turnable may pass through a box 14, of any suitable composition material, and the rod itself may be brass or other metal which is not liable to become oxidized and stick.

The part 13 within the box is turnable between the pins 15 and 15, which act as stops to limit its motion in either direction. Thus when the signal-arm lies horizontal and the signal is concealed behind the box the end of the arm 13" lies in contact with the pin 15. When the door 2 is opened, the table 10 is simultaneously moved into a horizontal position, and a projection on this table strikes the interior arm 13, pushes it down, at the same time raising the exterior signal.

In order to retain the signal in its elevated position after the door has been released and closed, I have shown a bent spring 16, secured upon the upper end of a vertically-guided and slidable casting 17. This casting is actuated bya bell-crank lever 18, fulcrumed to a standard, as 19, nearthe front of the box. The long arm extending horizontally across close to the end of the box engages with the slidable piece 17, and the short arm extending downwardly is engaged by the door 9 when the latter is closed, so that the contact of the door with this lever-arm, moving it a short distance, moves the end of the longer arm a considerably greater distance and forces the slidable piece 17 upward, carrying with it the spring 16. This spring has an angular bend at 16, over which the lower end of the arm 13 is pressed, the spring yielding to allow it to pass when the door 2 is opened, as previously described, and when the end of the arm has passed this elevated portion it enters a de pressed portion between that point and the upturned end of the spring, where it remains, thus holding the signal exposed until the discharge-door 9 is opened. As soon as this door is opened the lever 18 is released and its end, with the slide 17, is allowed to drop, carrying with it the spring 16 and removing it from looking contact with the lower end of the arm 13'. The Weight of the outer portion of the arm and the signal carried by it is then sufficient to cause the signal to drop out of sight behind the box into a horizontal position. These actuating parts for the signal are preferably located quite close to the end of the box and so as not to interfere with the deposit of packages of the greatest length that the box is capable of receiving.

The inward and rearward movement of the table 10 is limited by stops 20 at either end of the box, against which it contacts when the door 2 is pushed open and the table is moved back to its limit. In order to protect these doors from the ingress of water from storms and the like, I have shown the front edge of the roof turned upwardly just above the edge of the door 2 sufficiently to protect this edge.

The lower edge of the door 2 projects outwardly and downwardly, as shown at 2, thus forming an overhang, beneath which the upper edge of the door 9 is protected when the door is closed.

lhe'whole device-ismounted upon a postor any suitable support. Where no permanent support is found convenient, a post may be set so as to project about four feet, more or-less, from the ground and have a ledge; formed by cutting awaya portion-of the front of the post a short distance down from the top. The box being'set upon this ledge is secured by a bolt passing through the post and into the rear of the box, the inner end being screw-threaded, so that it -is firmly secured by a nut, which can only be reached when the discharge-door'of the box is opened.

Having thus describedmyinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-' out, is 4 r 1. The combination in a postal box of parallel hinged doors extending along the front;

one above the other, a lock for the lower door and springsby which the upper door is normally closed, said upper doorbeing-opened for the reception of mail by pushing it inwardly against the spring-pressure, and a table pivoted parallel with the hinged-edge of the upper door and means connecting itsfree edge with the free edge of said door,-said' table serving as a guard to-close' the opening behind the door, and being actuated in unison with said door to'receivethe mail and deposit it in the lower part of the box when the door is,closed.-

2. A mail-box having a door closing the upper'part of the front and hinged at the lower edge; springs by which said door is normally closed; a table pivoted at the lower edgewithin and parallel with the door and with its axis approximately in line horizon tall y'at the rear of the door-hinge; and connections between the free edges of the door and table whereby the latter moves in unison with and in the same direction with the door, and forms a tabular receiving-surface substantially in line with the door when the-latter is opened.

'3. A postal box having a door opening into the upper part of one side, said door having the lower edge horizontally hinged, springs by which the upper edge is normally closed from the inside, a table having its lower edge pivoted within the box parallel with and behind the door-hinges and approximatelyin line horizontally therewith,- links connecting the movable edges of the door and table whereby the table forms substantially a hori-.

zontal continuation thereof and moves in unison and in the same direction with the door so that when the door is opened the table serves to receive anything'introduced-andtoedge of which ispivot'ed parallel with the hinged edge of the door, links connecting'the:

movable edges'of the door and the table whereby the latter is forced downwardly and backwardly to form a guard and close the opening behind thedoor when the latter is opened, said table being moved int-o its'nor mal inclined position when the door is closed.

5. A postal box having parallel admission and discharge doors, the lower edges of which are hinged one above the other horizontally across the front of thebox, 'a guard-plate and table pivoted parallel with the hinged edge of the upper door, and inthe same direction, said plate forming substantially a horizontal continuation of the upper door when the latteris open,links and springsby' which the two are movable in unison and approximately in line horizontally with said hinged edge of the door,'a signal carrying arm j ournaledin the side of the box having the inner-end extending into the line'of travelof the table edgewherebythe signal is thrown I up into view when the reoeiving-doorxis opened, and a spring-latch by which the, signal-is retained in exposed position after'the door is closed.

6. A postal box having superposed parallel doors hinged horizontally along the'front by their-Blower edges, a hingedswingingguard and table connected with'and actuated by the opening of the upper door, and movable in the same'direction with the door, andform- IOQ ing substantially a horizontal continuation thereof when the door is fopened; a signalcarrying arm journaled in the side of the box having the interior'end projecting into the path of travel of the movable table whereby the signal is raised into an exposed position when the admission-door is 0pened,'a springlatch, a vertically-movable slide upon which it is carried, said latch engaging the 'arniand holding the signal exposed afterthe admission-door is closedand a fulcrumed leverhaving one end engaging the slide andithe opposite end connected with the llower door wherebytlie signal is released and allowed to fall into a concealed position by the opening of said door.

, 7. A postal'box" having parallel doors one above "the otherhinged' by their lower edges,

the lower-door opening 'Ioutwardly about its hinges and normally secured by a lock, the upper door opening inwardlyabout its hinges,

springs by which said upper door isnormally closed against the front of the box a swing-"L ing guard-table pivoted parallel with and interior-to' the admission-door, links by which the two are connected to swingfin unison, a

signal-carrying arm exteriorto the'box jou'r naled therein having an interior arm, anarm carried by the swinging table adapted to engage the interior portion of the signal-carry ing arm when the admission-door is] opened whereby the signal'is thrown up into view, a

vertically-guidedslidable bar, a spring-latch carried thereby, a bell-crank lever, the long arm of which engages said slide and the short lever and allow the signal to drop and disaparm is engaged by the lower door when the pear. latter is closed whereby the slide and the In witness whereof I have hereunto set; my spring are thrown upward so as to engage hand.

5 the signal-arm and retain the signal exposed FRANCIS C. BATES.

after the admission-door is closed, said bell- Witnesses: crank lever and slide falling by gravitation S. H. N OURSE, when the lower door is opened to release the CHAS. E. TOWNSEND. 

